What is a blog? A blog is a type of website, one which is frequently updated. Once set up, a blog is very easy for anyone to edit, without needing much technical skill. That’s the whole idea! We set it up, style it to your liking, add as much custom functionality as you want, and then it’s yours to own and love.
A blog can be about any subject imaginable, from corporate press releases, to the dietary habits of your pet goldfish. Blogs are used everywhere, from some of the smallest, to some of the largest websites. Countless large companies run blogs, including The New York Times, UPS, Sony, and Volkswagon, to name just a fraction.
Why would anyone want to run a blog? Here are just a few reasons:
- Businesses – Businesses of any size would be well advised to have a blog. You can keep your customers informed of upcoming events, specials, products, etc. Adding a new post to your blog takes minutes and it’s easy enough for anyone to do. It’s often a good idea to integrate a blog section into your main website. It keeps your website fresh with information. Search engines like google really like to see updated information, so blogs can be a HUGE help to your google rankings. That’s just one aspect of Search Engine Optimization.
- Frequently Updated Websites – If you want to create any website in which the goal is to create frequent updates, a blog can be a great choice. For instance, if you wanted to have a restaurant review site, a blog would allow you to easily create new entries yourself. Blogs can also contain multimedia, so an artist might want a blog to showcase his portfolio, or a real estate agent could use it to show off her listings. Some people create comedy blogs or blogs promoting a cause. There’s practically no limit to the possible uses!
- For Profit – Some blogs with high-quality content receive a LOT of traffic. If you can give people a reason to keep coming back, you can make a lot of money by advertising on your blog. Whether through Google Adwords, banner ads, or direct endorsements, many people make a living off their blogs!
- For Fun – Some people want a blog just for fun. It’s great to have an outlet to the entire world. Maybe your blog will lead to other things later in life, maybe not, right now you’re just concerned with doing what you love!
Our favorite blog platform is WordPress. WordPress is very easy to use, while at the same time offering nearly unlimited customization possibilities. A wordpress site can even be transformed into an e-commerce site, a multimedia sharing site, or all kinds of other things that don’t seem like “blogs”!
WordPress also comes with fairly good search engine optimization right out of the box. Even if you don’t want a full SEO package, WordPress makes it easy for Google to understand your website. Most of the small to medium sized websites we do, we use WordPress for. However, there are other options and for any clients who prefer a Drupal or Joomla! platform, we’re happy to oblige.
If you want a blog for your business, your career, or yourself, Webkudu can do everything needed to get you set up and ready to go!